Midrash su Isaia 24:23

R. Abahu said further that Solomon was questioned: "Who is supposed to be the man who has a share in the world to come?" And he answered [with the passage] (Is. 24, 23) … and before His elders shall be golry, [i.e., who is respected in his old age for the wisdom which he gathered during all his life. As it happened to Joseph b. R. Joshua, who was in a state of catalepsy, and when he awoke his father asked him: "What have you seen in the other world?" And he answered: "I have seen a reversed world: he who is here highly esteemed is there considered of the lowest class, and vice versa." His father rejoined: "Not a reversed world, but a rational one, have you seen." He continued questioning: "And how are we considered there?" And he answered: "The same as in this world. I also heard a saying: 'Happy are they who came here with their study in their hands.' I also heard that those who were killed by the government, none of the creatures could approach them [because of their high standing]." Who is meant by those who were killed by the government? Shall we assume that R. Akiba and his comrades are meant? Is it then only because they were killed? (And not because they were the greatest men of their generation)? It refers to those who were killed in Lydda

R. ELIEZER AND HIS BRETHREN
THE sons of Hyrḳanos said to their father: Get thee up to Jerusalem and vow that thy son Eliezer should not enjoy any of thy possessions. He went up to Jerusalem to disinherit him, and it happened that a festival was being celebrated there by R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai. All the magnates of the district were dining with him; (such as) Ben Zizith Hakkeseth, Nicodemus ben Gorion, and Ben Kalba S'bu'a. ||

“Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet; vanity of vanities, everything is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
“Vanity of vanities [havel havalim]” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: David made a statement and did not explain it, but his son Solomon explained it. Solomon made a statement and did not explain it, but his father David explained it. David said: “Man is like hevel” (Psalms 144:4); to what hevel [is man compared]? If it is to the hevel [heat] of an oven, it has significance. If it is to the hevel of a stove, it has significance. His son Solomon came and explained: “Vanity of vanities [havel havalim], said Kohelet.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani taught it in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa: It is comparable to a person who places seven pots on the fire one atop the other, and the heat of the upper one is insignificant.⁹This comparison is based on the fact that the term vanity [hevel] appears five times in Ecclesiastes 1:2, and twice it appears in the plural, for a total of seven mentions of the term hevel.
Solomon said: “For who knows what is good for man in his life, [all the days of his vain life,] that he spends like a shadow” (Ecclesiastes 6:12). What shadow? If it is like the shadow of a wall, it has substance. If it is like the shadow of a palm tree, it has substance. David came and explained: “His days are like a passing shadow” (Psalms 144:4). Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rav Aḥa: Like that bird that passes and its shadow passes with it. Shmuel said: Like the shadow of bees that have no substance at all.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak taught it in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar: The seven vanities [havalim] that Kohelet mentioned correspond to the seven worlds that a person sees. A one-year-old is like a king who is on a canopied litter and everyone is hugging and kissing him. A two- or three-year-old is like a pig that extends its hands into the sewers. A ten-year-old jumps like a goat. A twenty-year-old whinnies like a horse, beautifies himself and seeks a wife. When he marries a wife he is like a donkey. When he begets children, he is as audacious as a dog to bring [home] bread and food. When he grows old, he is like a monkey. That is stated regarding the common people; however, regarding Torah personalities, it is written: “King David was old” – even though he was old, he was a king.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The seven vanities that Kohelet mentioned correspond to the seven days of Creation. On the first, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), and it is written: “For the heavens will vanish like smoke” (Isaiah 51:6). On the second: “Let there be a firmament” (Genesis 1:6), and it is written: “The heavens will be furled like a scroll” (Isaiah 34:4). On the third: “Let the waters be gathered” (Genesis 1:9), and it is written: “The Lord will destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt” (Isaiah 11:15). On the fourth: “Let there be lights” (Genesis 1:14), and it is written: “The moon will be disgraced” (Isaiah 24:23). On the fifth: “Let the waters swarm [with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven]” (Genesis 1:20), and it is written: “I will destroy the birds of the heavens” (Zephaniah 1:3). On the sixth: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26), and it is written: “I will destroy man and animal” (Zephaniah 1:3). Regarding Shabbat, what do you have to say? “One who profanes it will be put to death” (Exodus 31:14). That is stated regarding one who does so intentionally; but [one who profanes it] unwittingly, he will bring an offering and gain atonement. When Adam saw the praise of Shabbat, that one who brings an offering gains atonement, he began singing in its regard to the Holy One blessed be He, praise and psalm. That is what is written: “A psalm, a song for the day of Shabbat” (Psalms 92:1). Rabbi Levi said: This [psalm] was stated by Adam.

Said Rabbi Yochanan: Once I was walking on a path and I came across a man who was collecting firewood. I spoke to him but he did not respond to me. Afterwards he approached me and said "Rabbi, I am dead and not alive", I said to him: "If you are dead - why do you need the firewood?". He responded: "Rabbi, listen carefully to what I am saying to you, when I was alive, my friend and I were doing a sin in my palace and when we came here we were sentenced to punishment by fire, when I gather wood they burn my friend, and when my friend gathers wood they burn me". I asked him: "Till when do you have to endure this punishment?" He told me: "When I came here I left my wife pregnant and I know she is pregnant with a son, therefore, please take caution with him and from the time he is born until he is five years old take him to he house of his rabbi to learn biblical verse (mikrah) because when he can say Barchu Et Hashem HaMevorach then I will be saved from the punishment of Gehenna".

(Job 20:6): EVEN THOUGH ONE'S HEIGHT ASCENDS TO THE HEAVENS. This refers to Moses, who ascended to the firmament and whose feet trod on Araphel (the lower sky). Moreover, he was like the ministering angels in that he spoke with him (i.e., with the Holy One) face to face and received the Torah from his hand. When his time to die arrived, he said to him (in Deut. 31:14): BEHOLD THE DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR FOR YOU TO DIE. <Moses> said to him: Sovereign of the world, is it for nothing that my feet have trodden Araphel? Is it for nothing that I have run before your children like a horse? Is my end the worm and the maggot? R. Abbahu said: To what is the matter comparable? To one of the nobles of the kingdom, who found a certain Hindu sword, which was unmatched [in the world] and who said: This is suitable only for the king. What did he do? He brought it to the king as a gift.¹⁹Gk.: doron. The king said: Cut off his head with it. So also Moses said to the Holy One: By the word that I <used to> praise²⁰Rt.: KLS. Cf. Gk.: kalos. you, when I said (in Deut. 10:14): BEHOLD (hen), <THE HEAVENS AND THE HEAVENS OF THE HEAVENS, THE EARTH AND ALL THAT IS IN IT> BELONG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD! by that <very> word (i.e., hen) you are decreeing death over me, when you say (in Deut. 31:14): BEHOLD (hen), THE DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR FOR YOU <TO DIE>.²¹Below, Deut. 11:6. He said to him: I have already decreed²²Rt.: QLS. Cf. Lat.: census; Gk.: kensos. death over the first Adam. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, [the first] Adam deserved to die. You decreed an easy commandment for him, and he transgressed it. But I should not die. He said to him: Consider Abraham, who sanctified my name in the world but <still> died. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, consider <the fact that> out of him there came Ishmael, whose race provoked you to anger, as stated (in Job 12:6) THE TENTS OF ROBBERS PROSPER, AND THOSE WHO PROVOKE GOD HAVE SECURITY, THE ONES WHOM GOD BROUGHT FORTH IN HIS HAND. He said to him: consider Isaac, who stretched out his neck upon the altar. He said to him: Out of him there came Esau the Wicked, who destroyed your sanctuary and burned your temple. He said to him: Consider Jacob, out of whom there came twelve tribes. He said to him Jacob did not ascend into the firmament, his feet did not trod Araphel, he did not receive Torah from your hand, and he did not speak with you face to face. The Holy One said to him (in Deut. 3:26): ENOUGH FROM YOU! DO NOT <EVER> SPEAK <UNTO ME ON THIS MATTER> AGAIN. He said to him: Perhaps <future> generations will say: If he had not found evil things in Moses, he would not have removed him from the world. He said to him: I have already written in my Torah (in Deut. 34:10): NEVER AGAIN DID THERE ARISE IN ISRAEL A PROPHET LIKE MOSES. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, perhaps [the people will say] I did your will in my youth, but I did not do your will in my old age. He said to him: I have already written (in Deut. 32:51): [BECAUSE YOU ACTED FAITHLESSLY WITH ME] <AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AT THE WATERS OF MERIBATH-KADESH IN THE WILDERNESS OF ZIN>, BECAUSE YOU DID NOT SANCTIFY ME <AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL>.²³Cf. Numb. 20:12. He said to him: If you are willing, let me enter the land [and spend] two or three years [there], and after that let me die. He said to him: It is an irrevocable decision from me. He said to him: If I am not to enter while alive, let me enter after my death. He said to him: Not while you are alive, and not when you are dead. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, why all this anger against me? (According to Deut. 32:51) BECAUSE HE DID NOT SANCTIFY ME. He said to him: With all mortals you are guided two or three times by the principle of mercy, as stated (in Job 33:29): BEHOLD, GOD DOES ALL THESE THINGS TWO OR THREE TIMES TO A MAN; yet in my case, when a single sin is found in me, you do not forgive me. The Holy One said to him: See here, Moses, you have committed six sins, and I have not disclosed one of them. (1) In the first place you said (in Exod. 4:13) PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. (2, in Exod. 5:23:) FOR EVER SINCE I CAME TO PHARAOH TO SPEAK IN YOUR NAME, [HE HAS DEALT WORSE WITH THIS PEOPLE, AND YOU HAVE STILL NOT DELIVERED YOUR PEOPLE]. (3, In Numb. 16:29:) THE LORD DID NOT SEND ME. (4, In Numb. 16:30:) BUT IF THE LORD CREATES SOMETHING NEW. (5, In Numb. 20:10:) LISTEN, YOU REBELS, <SHALL WE BRING FORTH WATER FOR YOU FROM THIS ROCK>?²⁴See above, the note at the end of Exod. 1:20. (6, Numb:32:14:) AND NOW YOU BROOD OF SINNERS HAVE ARISEN IN PLACE OF YOUR ANCESTORS. But were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sinners, for you to say this to their children? He said to him: I have learned so from you, when you said (in Numb. 17:3 [16:38]): THE CENSERS OF <THESE> WHO HAVE SINNED <AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES>. He said to him: I said (ibid.): AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES, and not: "At the cost of their ancestors." He said to him: Sovereign of the World: I am an individual, while Israel numbers sixty myriads (i.e., 600,000). They have sinned before you a lot of times; and when I sought mercy on their behalf, you forgave them. You took care of sixty myriads because of me, yet you are not taking care of me. He said to him: Moses, a decree over a community is not like a decree over an individual. Furthermore, up to now time was delivered into your hands, but now time is not delivered into your hands. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, rise up from the seat of judgment and sit down upon the seat of mercy for me, so that I do not die. Then my sins shall be forgiven through torments which you have brought on my body. So do not deliver me into the bonds of the angel of death. Moreover, if you do this, I will proclaim your praise to all who come into the world, just as David has said (in Ps. 118:17–18): I SHALL NOT DIE, BUT LIVE AND RECOUNT THE WORKS OF THE LORD. <THE LORD HAS PUNISHED ME SEVERELY, BUT HE DID NOT HAND ME OVER TO DEATH.> He said to him (in vs. 20): THIS IS THE GATE OF THE LORD; [THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL COME THROUGH IT.] From this it follows that for the righteous and for all mortals death has been ordained from time immemorial. When Moses saw that they paid no attention to him, he went to heaven and earth, where he said to them: Seek mercy for me. They said to him: Instead of us seeking mercy for you, we should seek mercy for ourselves, since it is stated (in Is. 51:6): FOR THE HEAVENS SHALL VANISH LIKE SMOKE, AND THE EARTH SHALL WEAR OUT LIKE A GARMENT.²⁵See ‘AZ a for this verse applied to Eleazar ben Dordia in a similar way. He went to the sun and the moon. He said to them: Seek mercy for me. They said to him: Instead of us seeking mercy for you, we should seek mercy for ourselves, since it is stated (in Is. 24:23): THEN THE MOON SHALL BE ASHAMED, AND THE SUN SHALL BE ABASHED. He went to the stars and planets. He said to them: Seek mercy for me. They said to him: [Instead of us seeking mercy for you,] we should seek mercy for ourselves, [since it is stated] (in Is. 34:4): ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN SHALL ROT AWAY [….] He went to the mountains and hills. He said to them: Seek mercy for me. They said to him: We should seek mercy for ourselves, since it is stated (in Is. 54:10): FOR THE MOUNTAINS SHALL MOVE, AND THE HILLS SHALL BE SHAKEN.²⁶The translation of the verb tenses here differs from some biblical versions but fits the sense of the midrash. He went to the Great Sea. He said to it: [Seek mercy for me. The sea] said to him: Son of Amram, how is today different from a couple of <other> days? Are you not the son of Amram? <Are you not the one> who came upon me with your rod, smote me, and divided me into twelve parts? For I was unable to stand before you because the Divine Presence was walking at your right hand. It is so stated (in Is. 63:12): WHO HAD <HIS GLORIOUS ARM> WALK AT THE RIGHT HAND OF MOSES, <WHO DIVIDED THE WATERS BEFORE THEM>…. So now what has happened to you? When the sea reminded him what he had done in his youth, he cried out and said (in Job 29:2): O THAT I WERE AS IN THE MONTHS OF OLD, <AS IN THE DAYS WHEN GOD WATCHED OVER ME>! When I stood by you, I was a king in the world; but now I am prostrate, and they pay no attention to me. Immediately he betook himself to the Arch<angel> of the <Divine> Presence and said to him: Seek mercy for me, that I not die. He said to him: My Master, Moses, why is this a problem? This is what I have heard from behind the Curtain:²⁷Pargod. Cf. Lat.: paragauda or [paragaudis] (a garment with a lace border); Gk.: Paragaudes (a garment with a purple border). that your prayer has not been heard on this matter. Putting his hands on his head, Moses sobbed and wept, as he said: With whom shall I seek mercy for myself? R. Simlay said: At that time the Holy One was full of anger over him, as stated (in Deut. 3:26): BUT THE LORD WAS ANGRY WITH ME, until Moses began by uttering this scripture: (Exod. 34:6:) [THEN THE LORD PASSED BEFORE HIM AND PROCLAIMED:] THE LORD: THE LORD IS A MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS GOD, <SLOW TO ANGER>…. Immediately the Holy Spirit cooled him off. The Holy One said to Moses: Moses, I have sworn two oaths, one that you should die and one to destroy Israel. To repeal both of them is impossible; so if you want to live, Israel will be destroyed. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, are you coming to me with a plot? You are seizing the rope at both ends. Let Moses and a thousand like him be destroyed, but do not let one person in Israel be destroyed. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, should feet that have climbed up to the firmament, should a face that has greeted the Divine Presence, should hands that have received Torah from your hand lick the dust? Woe²⁸Vay. to all mortals. They will say: If Moses, who ascended on high, became like the ministering angels, spoke with him face to face, and received Torah from his hand, had no reply for responding to the Holy One, how much the worse it will be for <mere> flesh and blood, who comes with no Torah and with no commandments? The Holy One said to Moses: Why all this sorrow over which you are sorrowing? He said: Sovereign of the World, I am afraid of the bonds of the angel of death. He said to him: I am not delivering you into his hands. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, my mother [Jochebed], who was put to shame (literally: whose teeth were blunted) during her lifetime by two of her sons, will be put to shame by my death. He said to him: This has come to mind, but this is the way of the world: every generation with its expositors, every generation with its administrators,²⁹Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”). every generation with its leaders. Up to now it has been your lot to serve <me>, [but now the lot of your disciple Joshua has arrived for him to serve <me>]. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, if I am dying because of Joshua, let me go and become his disciple! He said to him: If you want to do that, go and do it. Moses arose and went early to Joshua's door.³⁰Cf. the somewhat different account in Deut. R. 9:9. Now Joshua was seated expounding <Torah>, so Moses stopped to bend his proud stature and put his hand on his mouth. But Joshua's eyes were hidden, and he did not see him, so that he (Moses) would be sorrowful and resign himself [to death]. When Israel came to Moses' door, they found him at the door of Joshua with Joshua sitting and Moses standing. They said to Joshua: What has come over you that Moses our Master stands, while you sit? When he raised his eyes and saw him, he immediately rent his clothes. Then sobbing and weeping, he said: O my Master, my Master! My Father, my Father and Lord! Israel said to Moses: Moses our Master, teach us Torah. He said to them: I have no authority. They said to him: We are not leaving you. A heavenly voice (bat qol) came forth and said to them: Learn from Joshua. They took upon themselves to sit and learn from the mouth of Joshua. Joshua sat at the head with Moses to his right and with Eleazar and Ithamar to his left. So he sat and expounded in the presence of Moses. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: R. Johanan said: When Joshua opened by saying: Blessed be the one who has chosen the righteous and their Mishnaic teaching, they took the traditions of wisdom from Moses and gave them to Joshua. Now Moses did not know what Joshua was expounding. After Israel arose <from the session>, they said to Moses: Close off the Torah for us. He said to them: I do not know what to answer you. So Moses our Master was stumbling and falling. It was at that time that he said: Sovereign of the World, up to now I wanted to live, but now here is my soul given over to you.. Then when he had resigned his soul to death, the Holy One opened by saying (in Ps. 94:16): WHO WILL STAND FOR ME AGAINST EVILDOERS? Who will stand for Israel in the time of my wrath? Who will stand in the battle of my children? And who will stand and seek mercy for them, when they sin before me? At that time Metatron³¹Lat.: metator (“measurer,” “one who marks out boundaries”). came and fell on his face. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, <as> in Moses' life he belonged to you, so in his death he belongs to you. The Holy One said to him: Let me give you a parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a son. Now on each and every day his father was angry with him and sought to kill him, because he did not maintain respect for his father; but his mother rescued him from his hand. One day his mother died and the king wept. Her servants said to him: Our Lord King, why are you weeping? He said to them: It is not over my wife alone that I am weeping, but for my son; for many times when I was angry with him and wanted to kill him, she rescued him from my hand. So also did the Holy One say to Metatron: It is not over Moses alone that I am weeping, but over him and over Israel, for look at how many times that they angered me, and I was angry with them; but he stood in the breach before me [to turn back my anger from destroying them]. They came and said to Moses: The hour has arrived for you to depart from the world. He said to them: Wait for me until I bless Israel, for they have not found contentment from me all my days, because of the rebukes and warnings with which I rebuked them. He began to bless each tribe separately. When he saw that the time was growing short, he included all of them in a single blessing. They came and said: The hour has arrived for your soul to depart from the world. He said to Israel: I have caused you a lot of grief over the Torah and over the commandments, but now forgive me. They said to him: Our Lord Master, you are forgiven. Israel also arose before him and said to him: O Moses our Master, we have angered you a lot and increased the burden upon you. Forgive us. He said to them: You are forgiven. They came and said to him: The moment has arrived for you to depart from the world. He said: Blessed be the name of the one who lives and abides forever. He said to Israel: If you please, when you enter the land, remember me and my bones. They said: Woe (oy) to the son of Amram, who ran before us like a horse but whose bones have fallen in the wilderness. They came and said to him: The half moment has arrived. He took his two arms and placed them on his heart. Then he said to Israel: See the final end of flesh and blood. My two hands with which I received the Torah from the mouth of the Almighty shall fall in the grave. At that moment his breath departed with a kiss (from the Holy One),³²See MQ 28a. as stated (in Deut. 34:5): THEN MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD DIED THERE <IN THE LAND OF MOAB AT THE COMMAND OF THE LORD (literally: ON THE MOUTH OF THE LORD)>.³³BB 17a; ARN, A 12:2; Cant. R. 1:2:5; Petirat Mosheh Rabbenu, recension A, in A. Jellinek, Bet ha-Midrasch (Leipzig: Vollrath, 1853-57), vol. I, p. 129; ibid., recension B, in Jellinek, vol. VI, p. 77. Now <the ones who> took care of his burial were neither Israel nor any of the angels but the Holy One <himself>, as stated (in vs. 6): THEN HE (THE HOLY ONE) BURIED HIM (MOSES) IN THE VALLEY <IN THE LAND OF MOAB>…. And for what reason was he buried outside the land? So that those who die when outside the land might live again through his merit,³⁴The translation here follows the traditional Tanhuma. Deut. 2:6. So also Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34. The Buber text omits “might live again” and reads “through their merit.” as stated (in Deut. 33:21): HE HAS CHOSEN THE BEST FOR HIMSELF, <FOR THERE IS AN HONORED LAWGIVER'S PORTION, WHERE HE CAME AT THE HEAD OF THE PEOPLE. HE CARRIED OUT THE LORD's RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HIS ORDINANCES FOR ISRAEL>. But when did Moses our Master die? On the seventh of Adar,³⁵Seder ‘Olam Rabbah, 10; TSot. 11:7; Qid. 38a; see Meg. 13b; Sot. 12b. as stated (in Deut. 34:5): THEN MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD DIED THERE <IN THE LAND OF MOAB>…. It is also written (in vs. 8): AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MOURNED MOSES ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB FOR THIRTY DAYS. And it is written (in Josh. 1:1–2): AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THE DEATH OF MOSES, THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, <THE LORD SPOKE UNTO JOSHUA BEN NUN, MOSES' ATTENDANT, SAYING>: MOSES MY SERVANT IS DEAD. (Josh. 4:19:) NOW THE PEOPLE CAME UP FROM THE JORDAN ON THE TENTH DAY OF {THIS} [THE FIRST] MONTH (i.e., Nisan). Reckon back from those thirty-three days. Ergo, he died on the seventh of Adar. And where is it shown that he was born on the seventh of Adar? Where it is stated (in Deut. 31:2): HE SAID TO THEM: I AM ONE HUNDRED TWENTY YEARS OLD TODAY.³⁶Since Moses spoke these words on the day of his death, his birthday must have been the same as the day of his death. What is the significance of TODAY? <It is there> to teach you that the Holy One fulfills the years for the righteous from day to day and from month to month, as stated (in Exod. 23:26): I WILL FULFILL THE NUMBER OF YOUR DAYS.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world I have allotted honor to the elders, but in the future world: Before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).

(Num. 13, 2) Send thou out some men that they may spy out. Said Resh Lakish: "Send thou out, it is of your own choice; for is there anyone who would select a bad portion for himself, and this is the meaning of the passage (Deut. 1, 23) And the thing was pleasing in my eyes; upon which Resh Lakish said: 'In my eyes but not in the eyes of God.'" (Ib., ib. 22) That they may search out for us the land. Said R. Chiya in the name of R. Jochanan: "The spies meant nothing else but to disgrace the land of Israel; for it is written here [v'yachperu], that they may search out for us the land, and it is also written (Is. 24, 23) And the moon shall be put to blush [V'chofra] and the sun be mad ashamed." (Num. 13, 4) And these are their names of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua, the son of Zakkur. Said R. Isaac: "We have a tradition from our forefathers, that the spies were named in accordance with their acts. However, we know of the explanation of only one of them, Shethur, the son of Michael. This means (Shethor) who tried to upset the work of the Holy One, praised be He; Michael, who caused his enemy by his actions to weaken, i.e., who caused the belief in the belief in God to weaken." R. Jochanan said: "We also are able to explain one name, Nachbi, the son of Vaphsi. Nachbi, means who concealed the true words of the Holy One, praised be He, [through bringing a false report against the land of Israel]; Vaphsi, who stepped upon the ways of the Holy One, praised be He."

And to the elders of Israel: Rabbi Akiva said, "Israel is compared to a bird - just like a bird cannot fly without wings, so [too,] Israel cannot do anything without elders. Rabbi Yose bar Chalafta said, "Great is old age - as if they are elders, they are beloved; and if they are youths, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes old age spring upon them [early]." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "Not [only] in one place, nor in two or three places do we find that the Omnipresent dispenses honor to the elders: In Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 3:18), 'And they will listen to your voice and you will come, you and the elders of Israel'; at the [burning] bush, 'Go and collect the elders of Israel' (Exodus 3:16); at Sinai, 'you and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Isreal' (Exodus 24:10); at the tent of meeting, 'to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel. So [too,] in the future to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, dispenses honor to the elders, as it is stated (Isaiah 24:23), 'And the moon will be embarrassed and the sun ashamed, since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make an assembly of His elders. And that is what the verse states, 'since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" And the Holy One, blessed be He, honors the righteous ones and the pious ones, but any time that a mistake comes from them, He chastises them. See that which is written about the sons of Aharon, as they were assistant priests and erred with wine, as so did they, may their memory be blessed, say - that they were inebriated with wine; and hence the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded after their death, to warn about wine, as it is stated, "Wine and strong drink shall you not drink, you and your sons with you." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Be careful with wine. See that which Noach did, as he began to err with it, as it is stated (Genesis 9:20), 'And Noah, the man of the earth, began to plant a vineyard,' and it is written (Genesis 9:21), 'And he drank from the wine and he became drunk and he revealed himself.' What caused him to become disgraced? The wine. And it caused him to bring a curse upon his seed, as it is stated (Genesis 9:25), 'And he said, "Cursed is Canaan."' And hence, be warned about wine, since wine brings a person to all the sins in the world - to licentiousness, to the spilling of blood, to theft and to all the [other] sins in the world." And does it not gladden the heart of man; and the verse praise it like one reading in the Torah? As it is stated, (Psalms 104:15), "And wine gladdens the heart of a man," and it states (Pslams 19:9), "The precepts of the Lord, gladdening the heart." And further, He bequeaths the Garden of Eden to those occupied with Torah and its precepts, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:20), "as it is your life and the length of your days"; and a drunk - when the wine is still with him - sits happily, as if he was sitting in the Garden of Eden. [The resolution is] like [the story of] that student who was a pious man, and he had a father that drank heavily. And each time he would fall in the marketplace [from drinking], people would come and hit him with stones and pebbles. And they would yell and call out behind him, "Look at the drunkard." And when his son the pious man saw, he was embarrassed and wished for his soul to die. And every day, he would say to [his father,] "I will order [it] and they will bring you from every wine that they sell in the province to your house, and [just] don't go to drink in the tavern, such that you make a disgrace of yourself and of me." And he [would] say this to him once or twice every day, until his father said that he would do this, as he said, not to go to drink in the tavern. And so did the pious man do, that he would make food and drink for him every day and every night and put him to sleep in his bed, and then leave. One time, rain was falling and that pious man went out to the marketplace and was walking to the synagogue for prayer. And he saw a drunkard laying in the marketplace and a puddle of water was falling on him. And the young men and the youths were hitting him with stones and pebbles and throwing clay in his face and into his mouth. When this pious man saw, he said in his heart, "I will go to father and bring him to here, and I will show him this drunkard and the disgrace that the young men and youths make out of him; maybe he will prevent his mouth from drinking in the tavern and from getting drunk." And so did he do, he brought him to there and showed [the drunkard] to him. What did his old father do? He walked over to the drunkard and asked him in which [tavern] he drank that wine from which he became drunk. His pious son said to him, "Father, for this did I call you? Rather to see the disgrace they make out of him, as so do they do to you at the time that you drink - maybe you will prevent your mouth from drinking in the tavern?" He said to him, "My son, I have no enjoyment and Garden of Eden in my life besides this." When the pious man heard, he left with a bitter spirit. But the precepts and the Torah are not [just like] the joy of wine - since when the wine leaves his body, sorrow comes into his heart, 'this one leaves and that one comes'; but the Torah and the commandments are a delight and joy in this world and in the world to come, as it is stated, "as it is your life and the length of your days" - in this world and in the world to come, which is completely long. And you will find further with the sacrifices that it states about the lambs, "two one-year old unblemished lambs" (Numbers 28:9); about the bread, two issaron; but about the wine, [only] a quarter of a hin. So little would they offer [of the wine] to make known proper action (derekh erets). As much wine brings a person to sin, to great grief and to loss of the purse, as it is stated (Proverbs 23:31), "Do not ogle that red wine, as it lends its color to the cup, as it flows on smoothly" - in his home, such that there not be with what to cook, since he sells and gives everything for the sake of wine. Another [understanding]: Do not read it [as] "to the cup (kos)," but rather "to the purse (kis)," as he puts an evil eye into his purse. And so do you find with the Children of Ephraim, as it states (Hosea 7:11), "But Ephraim was like a silly dove, with no heart." Why? Because they drink much wine; and it states (Isaiah 28:1), "Woe, the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim." And we have also found with a man and a woman that the verse states to take out their son to pelt him with stones, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 21:18), "And if a man has a son that is wild and rebellious," and it states (Deuteronomy 21:19), "And his father and his mother shall grab him." And why all of this? Because he went out to bad culture, such that he will spend his money, steal and do sins, and become liable for the death penalty. And before he becomes liable for death, "And his father and his mother shall grab him, etc. And all of the people of his city shall pelt him, etc." (Deuteronomy 21:19-21). And know [from this], that there is great evil in drinking much wine. And how much meat does he eat more than another man, for which he is liable for death? One litra. And another verse states, "Do not be of those who guzzle wine, or glut themselves on meat to them" (Proverbs 23:20). What is [the meaning of] "to them?" Meaning to say, to them do they do the evil - as they spend [all] their money and come to disgrace; and in the end, they become liable for death in this world and in the world to come.

“There is no memory of the former ones; and also of the latter ones, who will be, there will be no memory of them, among those who will be last” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).
“There is no memory of the former ones.” Rabbi Aḥa said: “There is no memory of the former ones” – this is the generation of the flood, “and also of the latter ones” – these are the Sodomites. Of whom is it said: “Among those who will be last”? These are Israel, as it is stated: “Last they will travel by their banners” (Numbers 2:31). Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Shekafa: “There is no memory of the former ones” – these are the Egyptians, “and also of the latter ones” – these are the Amalekites. About whom is it stated that they should expunge the memory of Amalek? Israel, as it is stated: “Expunge the memory of Amalek” (Deuteronomy 25:19).
Numerous miracles were performed on Israel’s behalf when they departed from Egypt, and before Israel departed from Egypt. In their regard it says: “There is no memory of the former ones; and also of the latter ones, who will be.” To what do I provide commemoration? To the miracles of the World to Come, as it is written: “They will no longer say: As the Lord lives, who took the children of Israel up from the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 23:7), but, “rather, as the Lord lives, who took up and who brought the descendants of the house of Israel…from all the lands…” (Jeremiah 23:8).
Numerous prophets arose in Israel and their names were not mentioned. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will come and bring them with Him. That is what is written: “The Lord my God will come, all the holy ones with You” (Zechariah 14:5). Rabbi Zeira said: Numerous pious men and Torah personalities were worthy of being mentioned, like Yehuda bar Rabbi Ḥizkiya. In their regard it is stated: “And also of the latter ones.” But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to appoint for Him a group of righteous people of His own, and He will seat them near Him in a great assembly, as it is stated: “The moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts has reigned on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem], and before his elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23). Before his angels, before his legions, or before his priests is not stated, but rather: “Before his elders, glory.” Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to sit as though inside a circle, with the righteous sitting before Him, as that which is written regarding Yehoshafat, as it is stated: “The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah…were sitting on a threshing floor” (II Chronicles 18:9). Were they sitting on a threshing floor? Rather, as it is taught: The Sanhedrin was arranged in half of a round threshing floor so each of them could see the other (Sanhedrin 36b). Solomon said: ‘I saw Him sitting among them.’ That is what is written: “Her husband is known in the gates, as he sits among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).⁹³The husband in this image is God and He makes Himself known to them with them sitting in a semi-circle before Him, so each of them can see Him.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, Ula Beira’a, Rabbi Beivai, and Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina say: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to make Himself the head of the dance of the righteous in the future, as it is stated: “Pay attention to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14). Laḥula is written, as they will be dancing [ḥalin] before Him like young women and pointing at Him with a finger, and saying: “For this is God, our God for ever and ever, He will guide us beyond death [al mut]” (Psalms 48:15). Almut, with quickness, almut, like those young women, as it is stated: “Young women [alamot] playing timbrels” (Psalms 68:26). Almut,⁹⁴A reference to the words al mut at the end of Psalms 48:15. Aquila interpreted: A world without death. [Alternatively,] He will guide us in two worlds [olamot], in this world and in the World to Come.

... R’ Bibi and R’ Reuven said in the name of R’ Chanina: in the future the Holy One will appoint a yeshiva for His elders. This is what is written “…for the Lord of Hosts has reigned in Mount Zion…” the end of the verse is not written ‘and before elders will be glory’ but rather “…and before His elders will be glory.” (Isaiah 24:23)

What happened to the elders who had accompanied them? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Because you slipped away, be assured, I will exact retribution from you. When did that occur? At the time that Moses and Aaron went up to Mount Sinai with the elders to receive the Torah. The Holy One, blessed be He, kept them away, as it is said: And unto the elders, He said: “Tarry ye here for us until we come back unto you” (ibid. 24:14). In this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, you shall not witness the glory of the Torah, but in the world-to-come, I will reveal unto you the light of the glory of the Torah, as it is said: Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed (Isa. 24:23).

(Exod. 4:28:) AND MOSES TOLD AARON ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD WITH WHICH HE HAD SENT HIM. Moses began telling him everything which the Holy One had told him, how he would go and how he would perform all the signs.¹¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 1:26; Exod. R. 5:11. As soon as they went, they made harmony with the elders, as stated (in Exod. 4:29): THEN MOSES AND AARON WENT AND GATHERED <ALL THE ELDERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL >. The elders have always supported Israel,¹¹⁹Exod. R.3:8. and so it says (in Josh. 8:33): AND ALL ISRAEL, THEIR ELDERS, {THEIR} OFFICERS, AND THEIR JUDGES, STOOD ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ARK. When does Israel stand? When they have elders. Why? While the Temple existed, they were in consultation with the elders, as stated (in Deut. 32:7): ASK YOUR FATHER AND HE WILL INFORM YOU; YOUR ELDERS, AND THEY WILL TELL YOU. When anyone takes advice from the elders, then person is to be commended. You yourself know that, when Ben-hadad sent to the king of Israel and said to him (in I Kings 20:3): THUS SAYS BEN-HADAD: YOUR SILVER AND GOLD ARE MINE; <YOUR BEAUTIFUL WIVES AND CHILDREN ARE MINE>, the king of Israel sent to him <and said> (in vs. 4): AS YOU SAY, MY LORD KING, I AND ALL THAT I HAVE ARE YOURS. He sent to him a second time (in vs. 6): NEVERTHELESS TOMORROW ABOUT THIS TIME I WILL SEND MY SERVANTS TO YOU; AND THEY WILL SEARCH <YOUR HOUSE AND THE HOUSES OF YOUR SERVANTS >, LAY THEIR HANDS UPON EVERYTHING YOUR EYES DELIGHT IN, AND TAKE IT AWAY. [Was not] whatever he originally demanded {was not} a delight[?] He sought silver and gold, and they are a delight, as stated (in Hag. 2:7–8): AND THE DELIGHT OF ALL THE NATIONS SHALL COME, <AND I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. > THE SILVER IS MINE, AND THE GOLD IS MINE. He sought women, and they are a delight, as stated (in Ezek. 24:16): SON OF ADAM, SEE, I AM TAKING AWAY [FROM YOU] THE DELIGHT OF YOUR EYES (i.e., your wife) THROUGH PESTILENCE. [He sought] children, and they are a delight, as stated (in Hos. 9:16): AND I WILL PUT TO DEATH THE DELIGHTS OF THEIR WOMB. Ergo: Whatever he originally demanded was a delight. Then what is the meaning (in I Kings 20:4) of EVERYTHING YOUR EYES DELIGHT IN? Something more delightful than <any> delight, i.e., the Torah, as stated (concerning the judgments of the Holy One in Ps. 19:11 [10]): MORE DELIGHTFUL ARE THEY THAN GOLD, THAN MUCH FINE GOLD. When the king of Israel heard this, he said: This is not a matter for me but for the elders. Immediately (in I Kings 20:7–8): THEN THE KING OF ISRAEL CALLED {UNTO} [FOR] ALL THE ELDERS OF THE LAND AND SAID {TO THEM}: PLEASE COMPREHEND AND SEE HOW THIS MAN IS SEEKING EVIL; <FOR, WHEN HE SENT UNTO ME FOR MY WIVES, MY CHILDREN, MY SILVER, AND MY GOLD, I DID NOT REFUSE HIM. SO [ALL] THE ELDERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAID UNTO HIM: {NEVER} [DO NOT] HEED AND NEVER CONSENT. When he heard the advice of the elders, he arose. THEN (according to I Kings 20:21), THE KING OF ISRAEL WENT OUT AND SMOTE THE HORSES…. Ergo: They always consulted with the elders. So also Moses (in Exod. 19:7) SUMMONED THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, and afterwards, the leaders and the judges. When did Israel have leaders? When they had elders. So here also (in Exod. 4:29): THEN MOSES AND AARON WENT AND GATHERED ALL THE ELDERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. What is the meaning of GATHERED? That they appointed them as elders, just as the Holy One had told him (in Exod. 3:16): GO AND GATHER (i.e., appoint) THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL.¹²⁰Cf. Lev. 11:8. The Holy One has said: In this world I have distributed glory to the elders; and in the age to come I am also sharing glory with them, as stated (in Is. 24:23): THEN <THE DIVINE> GLORY <SHALL STAND> IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS ELDERS.¹²¹See above, 1:21.

R. Simeon the son of Yohai taught: In numerous places we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, paid homage to the elders. At the thornbush, since it is written: Go, and gather the elders of Israel (Exod. 3:16). And that is followed by: And they shall hearken unto thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt (ibid., v. 18). At Sinai, as it is written: And unto Moses he said: “Come up unto the Lord, thou, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (ibid. 24:1). In the Tent of Meeting whither Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel (Lev. 9:1). In the time-to-come, as it is said: For the Lord of hosts will reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).

(Bamidbar 11:16) "And the L-rd said to Moses: Gather unto Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, etc.": Why (is this mentioned here)? Because Moses had said "I cannot bear alone," the L-rd responded: What you have requested, I have granted. "Gather unto Me": that the Sanhedrin be in My name. Wherever "unto Me" is written, the understanding is "forever." The Cohanim — (Shemot 28:41) "that they minister unto Me." The Levites — (Bamidbar 8:14) "and the Levites shall be unto Me." Israel — (Vayikra 25:35) "For unto Me are the children of Israel servants." The first-born — (Bamidbar 8:17) "For unto Me are all the first-born of the children of Israel." The sanctuary — (Shemot 25:8) "And let them make unto Me a sanctuary." The altar — (Ibid. 20:24) "An altar of earth shall you make unto Me." The oil of anointment — (Ibid. 30:31) "Holy oil of anointment shall this be unto Me." The kings — (I Samuel 16:1) "For I have seen among his sons a king unto Me." The offerings — (Bamidbar 28:2) "to sacrifice unto Me in its appointed time." Unto Me, then, always connotes "forever." (Bamidbar, Ibid. 16) "seventy men": There must be seventy in a Sanhedrin. "seventy men": They must be wise, strong, senior, and well-versed in the magic arts. "from the elders of Israel": Not in (only) one or two places does the L-rd accord honor to the elders, but in every place that you find, He does so, viz. (Shemot 3:16) "Go and assemble the elders of Israel, etc.", (Ibid. 24:1) "And to Moses He said: Ascend to the L-rd, you and Aaron and Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Israel," (Ibid. 14) "And to the elders He said: Wait for us here until we return to you," (Vayikra 9:1) "And it was on the eighth day that Moses called to Aaron and to his sons and to the elders of Israel" — Wherever you find elders, you find the L-rd according honor to the elders. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Whence do you derive that it will also be thus in time to come? From (Isaiah 24:23) "And the moon will be shamed and the sun abashed. For the L-rd of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and He will accord His elders honor." Now does it not follow a fortiori, viz.: If He who spoke and brought the world into being is destined to accord honor to the elders, how much more so should creatures of flesh and blood honor them! And thus do you find that the L-rd is aggrieved over (the suffering of) one elder over and against all of Israel, viz. (Ibid. 47:6) "I have fumed against My people; I have profaned My heritage, etc." The L-rd, as it were, "pardons" everything, but (Ibid.) "You have weighed your yoke exceedingly upon the elder" (i.e., this cannot be pardoned). (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "whom you know to be the elders of the people": You must know that they are "select" men. "that they are the elders of the people": We are hereby taught that one is not elected to sit in council until people tend to speak in praise of him, viz.: "That man is upright and pious and wise and fit to sit in council." "and its officers": those of whom it is written (Shemot 5:19) "And the officers of the children of Israel saw them in their plight." Since they saw themselves as involved in their plight, let them come and share in their welfare. (Devarim, Ibid.) "And you shall take them to the tent of meeting": He said to them. "Take them" with words first, with words of praise, viz.: How fortunate you are to have been selected (for this honor) — and then "hard" words: Know that they are importunate and recalcitrant. Take them on this condition, that they will curse you and stone you. And stipulate the same to them. "And have them stand there with you": Take them in with you to the tent of meeting, and let all of Israel deport themselves to them with awe and fear and honor, as they do with you. And let them say: How beloved are these, who have entered with Moses to hear the word of the Holy One Blessed be He!